Sample
  • Out of the Darkness

  • The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers
  • By: Ian O'Connor
  • Narrated by: Charles Constant
  • Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (54 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Out of the Darkness

By: Ian O'Connor
Narrated by: Charles Constant
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
activate_WEBCRO358_DT_T2

Publisher's summary

"A masterwork. ... O'Connor answers every question, deftly and deeply, that we've had about the most controversial person in America's biggest game."—Peter King

Four-time New York Times bestselling sport biographer Ian O’Connor pulls back the curtain on four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, delivering the definitive portrait of the legendary yet mysterious quarterback who has astonished, befuddled, yet always captivated fans of America’s #1 sport.

Aaron Rodgers is among the two or three most talented players to ever hold the most important job in American team sports–quarterback. He also stands as the most mysterious and polarizing figure in the modern-day national pastime that is professional football.

From his controversial Covid stance to his methods of spiritual awakening to his estrangement from his family to his high-profile romances to his devastating Achilles injury a mere four plays into his New York Jets career, Rodgers has long dominated the NFL’s news cycle.

At thirty-nine, in search of a challenge that would rejuvenate him, Rodgers divorced the iconic Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi fame for the Jets, who have not appeared in a Super Bowl since Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. The trade made Rodgers the biggest story in the biggest league in the biggest market. By far.

That story only got bigger when Rodgers shockingly went down on the night of 9/11, in front of a packed house that roared for him when he took the field carrying an American flag, and in front of the biggest Monday Night Football audience in ESPN history, peaking at more than 25 million viewers across all platforms. Rodgers then shocked the world by pulling off the fastest recorded comeback from an Achilles tear, returning to practice eleven weeks after surgery. Remarkably enough, he would have played again in the 2023 season, at age 40, had the Jets remained in playoff contention.

Ian O’Connor uses hundreds of original interviews to pull back the curtain and answer the most penetrating questions about the league’s most enigmatic player. Just like he did in his defining bios of Bill Belichick, Mike Krzyzewski, Derek Jeter, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, O’Connor reveals all sides of an all-time great and delivers a portrait of a complex man that will forever shape the way he is viewed.

©2024 Ian O'Connor (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Out of the Darkness

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The struggles

The struggles that Aaron went thru aren't know by many modern day fans. Huge fan of Aaron's and even admire the person even more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

Overall a great book, few cheap shots in there but overall very fair and informative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

This book was incredibly listenable and digestible. The amount of care that went into research was impressive and it was written in a way I found very easy consume.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well-researched and fair

Excellent book, well researched and seems to be a fair evaluation of the life of the greatest thrower of the football in human history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The mystery remains

There’s some intriguing stuff in here, but by and large it’s a bunch of game summaries. I was interested in Rodgers relationship, or lack thereof, with Favre and was curious how and why he has no contact with family. Came away thinking fame and fortune have warped him (and Favre). Kind and generous guy who seeks attention and can be petty and vindictive. Sing his praises or else.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The incredible story

This was an incredible story about a very interesting quarterback, Aaron Rogers. From his childhood up to his 40th birthday, he’s been a very determined and hard-working athlete. This book dives into the many layers of Aaron Rodgers.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

mispronounced several names

you'd think they'd get a narrator who has watched the NFL before and knows how to pronounce the names of famous coaches and players

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great insight into the GOAT

This book was a great piece written by Ian. Gives a surprising insight into Roger’s life with input from friends, family, coaches, and current/former players. This book left me wanting more and left me wondering more about the relationship breakdown with him family and whether it will ever be reconciled. If you’re a NFL fan this book is worth the listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Meh...poor reader

the first several chapters were really well researched and had me hooked, the poor reader who doesn't even understand how to speak sports scores or players numbers. example instead of saying number 12 he says number 1 2. So this is either someone that doesn't know anything about sports or an AI that needs better training.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Underwhelming

I was hoping to hear more about Aaron Rodgers the person and what makes him unique. Instead we got a bunch of filler about NFL games that didn’t mean much overall in the grand scheme of things, considering we can watch what happened on YouTube. I purchased this book to get stories and accounts from Aaron himself, instead it seemed he barely was involved and the author needed to just get anyone to comment or add in his own personal opinions and cheap shots. I didn’t buy this book for the authors opinion. I hope someone else or Aaron writes his own book that will explain more. My feeling is the author knew this would sell regardless of how much effort he put into it since Aaron Rodgers is polarizing and famous, and it showed. Beyond disappointed. I’d only recommend if it was free.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!